Wednesday, March 14, 2012

I’ve long been an admirer of the work that Jony Ive has produced for Apple and many of the products that he’s had a hand in designing are the very tools that I work with on a daily basis.  Getting insight into a designer’s mode of thinking and their thoughts on the design process can not only be a useful learning tool, but it sheds light on the decisions that go into to products and service that we all enjoy on a daily basis.  Ive recently gave an interview to the London Evening Standard and touched on these specific items.  One of my favorite quotes from the interview :

“Q: What makes design different at Apple?

A: We struggle with the right words to describe the design process at Apple, but it is very much about designing and prototyping and making. When you separate those, I think the final result suffers. If something is going to be better, it is new, and if it’s new you are confronting problems and challenges you don’t have references for. To solve and address those requires a remarkable focus. There’s a sense of being inquisitive and optimistic, and you don’t see those in combination very often.”

If your’re a fan, a student, or a seasoned-pro in the discipline of design, this interview is well worth the time reading (and learning from).

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Some great words to remember…

Monday, February 27, 2012

Your office, your studio, your creative place.  It is, without question, the most important area for a designer.  Ideas are sparked, nurtured, and cared for there,  why not make sure your workspace is as creative as the ideas that are generated there.

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Who’s the darling of the social media world this year? Why that would be Pinterest, the community that allows people to share their styles, tastes, and likes with the world.  While it’s been unofficially branded as a network for women (with over 97% of Pinterest’s fans being female, it’s hard to argue that) I’ve found it to be a network of visual stimulation…for creativity.

One of the hardest aspects of the design business can be getting inspiration and the initial spark for a project.  For years I’ve spent time taking in many forms of inspiration in various environments.  Pinterest has opened up a whole new world or possibilities when it comes to gathering ideas.  No matter what you might be working on, from a design/layout project to finding new and creative workspaces or simply looking for an inspirational quote, you’ll find all of that (and more) with Pinterest.

I’ve even used it to create collections of design ideas to post.  You can even use it to catalog typography examples and other ideas for project concepts.  If you’re a creative professional, it’s worth your while to check it out.  You’ll also meet other people with similar inserests, which doesn’t hurt the creative process either.

Friday, February 17, 2012

The beautiful thing about inspiration is that it can come from from anywhere.  Some of the greatest inspiration I’ve had has been from topics and subjects ah that I love.  Here are some auto-inspired visual muses that are sure to get your creativity moving.

Art Ball CSL Chair

Art Ball GT Chair

White & orange ‘79 Corvette

Honda